Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Angels & Demons (2009) - Movie Review

Angels & Demons is yet another movie which I liked very much. It is a sequel of The Da Vinci Code, but The Da Vinci Code is barely alluded to. Only mentioned as "recent events" or some other vague wording, but I guess that is by design.

Angels & Demons is very good because it deals with the murder of the Pope and the kidnapping of four Cardinals. The Cardinals are being held captive and the kidnapper has said he will execute them one at a time starting at 8 pm and then at 9, 10 and 11. At midnight a antimatter device will obliterate Rome.

Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is back and asked to find the antimatter container.He is joined in this hunt by Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer) because she is the scientist that created the canister to hold the antimatter, and she can change the batteries of the container to prevent the explosion. Langdon and Vetra are also joined by Inspector Olivetti (Pierfrancesco Favino) because he believes that Langdon is the best hope in finding both the canister and the four Cardinals. Carmelengo Patrick McKenna (Ewan McGregor), Commander Richter (Stellan Skarsgard) and Cardinal Strauss (Armin Mueller-Stahl) round out the top of the character list, well except for the assassin (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) who doesn't have a name or at least it is never revealed.

My favorite scenes are fairly good scenes. The first is the scene when Langdon saves the final Cardinal from being killed. Langdon witnesses the Cardinal being thrown into a fountain to drown. Jumping into the fountain, Langdon dives under the water but is unable to help the Cardinal alone because he has been strapped to a dolly with weights. Langdon grabs tube that is pumping air into the fountain to give the Cardinal SOME air. Eventually some nearby pedestrians come to Langdon's aide.

The second scene I like is really a collection of scenes. I like Langdon's search for all the alters of science in or at which the Cardinals will be sacrificed on. At one time Langdon basically tells Commander Richter to, basically, help or get out of my way. Langdon also tells them all that he was asked to help by them, he implied that he would stand by or go home if they didn't give him some mutual help.

The third scene I liked was when Langdon enters the archives of the Vatican a second time. This time Vittoria is not with him, but Chartrand (Thure Lindhardt) is present to make sure Langdon behaves himself this time. Alluding to the first time Langdon and Vittoria are in the Archives and Vittoria rips a page out of a pamphlet. Anyway, this time when Langdon and Chartrand are in the Archives they are trapped inside one of the sealed rooms when the power is being turned off in an effort to find the antimatter canister. The power being turned off turns off the air being pumped in the room. Chartrand tries to call for help on his two way, but the room is lead lined blocking any signal. Langdon topples a large shelving unit against a window hoping to break the glass, it doesn't work. Langdon then grabs the hand gun of the unconscious Chartrand and shoots the glass, it too doesn't appear to work. Langdon climbs up on the shelving unit in frustration and passes out. The glass has been weakened by the weight of the shelving unit, Langdon and the shots from the gun, and eventually breaks, allowing air to flood in to the room.

There are other scenes I liked, but I won't describe them here. The reason I won't describe them here is because I would much rather you watch the movie. The script if very well written. Dan Brown's research into the practices of electing a new Pope is great.

I can't wait until the next Robert Langdon adventure. The next one should take place in Washington, D. C. and a couple of other places along the eastern seaboard of the United States. Unfortunately there is no information on when The Lost Symbol will be released.

I give this movie 10 out of 10 stars, for the storyline and all of the action.

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